Sensation vs. Perception
Perception
Sensation
Takes place in sense organs
Takes place in the brain
Sensory receptors receive sensory information from the environment
Areas of the brain organize and interpret sensory information
Sensory receptors are not selective. All data received is encoded and passed on
Creates proximal stimuli from stimulus energy. Unaware of distal stimuli
Filters out unnecessary information searches for patterns and meaning
Concerned with perceptual stimuli as representations of distal stimuli, often unaware of proximal stimuli
Path to Perception
Sensory receptors are specialized to receive a specific kind of stimulus energy (light waves, sound waves, heat energy, etc.)
Stimulus energy array is converted into proximal stimuli array
Proximal stimuli are transmitted via electrical impulses traveling via nerves to the brain
Sensory information is transmitted to the brain from sense organs
Fragmented, each sense is disconnected from one another and is unaffected by internal brain processes
Ventral Stream
Feature detector neurons fire in response to specific sensory information
Multimodal, synthesizes multiple sources of incomplete sensory information as well as internal factors such as beliefs, emotions and memories
Simple information is passed along to supercell clusters in temporal and occipital lobes
Cogratulations! You have perceived a thing!